diff --git a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/proxy.py b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/proxy.py
index 58d13793..4d17b8d9 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/proxy.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/proxy.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class ProxyAPIHandler(APIHandler):
         if 'auth_token' in model:
             self.proxy.auth_token = model['auth_token']
         self.db.commit()
-        self.log.info("Updated proxy at %s", server.url)
+        self.log.info("Updated proxy at %s", server.bind_url)
         yield self.proxy.check_routes()
         
 
diff --git a/jupyterhub/app.py b/jupyterhub/app.py
index 4343d801..c9a1500c 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/app.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/app.py
@@ -710,13 +710,13 @@ class JupyterHub(Application):
                 if isinstance(e, HTTPError) and e.code == 403:
                     msg = "Did CONFIGPROXY_AUTH_TOKEN change?"
                 else:
-                    msg = "Is something else using %s?" % self.proxy.public_server.url
+                    msg = "Is something else using %s?" % self.proxy.public_server.bind_url
                 self.log.error("Proxy appears to be running at %s, but I can't access it (%s)\n%s",
-                    self.proxy.public_server.url, e, msg)
+                    self.proxy.public_server.bind_url, e, msg)
                 self.exit(1)
                 return
             else:
-                self.log.info("Proxy already running at: %s", self.proxy.public_server.url)
+                self.log.info("Proxy already running at: %s", self.proxy.public_server.bind_url)
             self.proxy_process = None
             return
 
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ class JupyterHub(Application):
             cmd.extend(['--ssl-key', self.ssl_key])
         if self.ssl_cert:
             cmd.extend(['--ssl-cert', self.ssl_cert])
-        self.log.info("Starting proxy @ %s", self.proxy.public_server.url)
+        self.log.info("Starting proxy @ %s", self.proxy.public_server.bind_url)
         self.log.debug("Proxy cmd: %s", cmd)
         try:
             self.proxy_process = Popen(cmd, env=env)
@@ -992,7 +992,13 @@ class JupyterHub(Application):
 
         # start the webserver
         self.http_server = tornado.httpserver.HTTPServer(self.tornado_application, xheaders=True)
-        self.http_server.listen(self.hub_port)
+        try:
+            self.http_server.listen(self.hub_port)
+        except Exception:
+            self.log.error("Failed to bind hub to %s" % self.hub.server.bind_url)
+            raise
+        else:
+            self.log.info("Hub API listening on %s" % self.hub.server.bind_url)
         
         # register cleanup on both TERM and INT
         atexit.register(self.atexit)
diff --git a/jupyterhub/orm.py b/jupyterhub/orm.py
index 8e1f9b69..a24dd9b6 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/orm.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/orm.py
@@ -75,12 +75,16 @@ class Server(Base):
     
     @property
     def host(self):
+        ip = self.ip
+        if ip in {'', '0.0.0.0'}:
+            # when listening on all interfaces, connect to localhost
+            ip = 'localhost'
         return "{proto}://{ip}:{port}".format(
             proto=self.proto,
-            ip=self.ip or 'localhost',
+            ip=ip,
             port=self.port,
         )
-    
+
     @property
     def url(self):
         return "{host}{uri}".format(
@@ -88,6 +92,17 @@ class Server(Base):
             uri=self.base_url,
         )
     
+    @property
+    def bind_url(self):
+        """representation of URL used for binding
+        
+        Never used in APIs, only logging,
+        since it can be non-connectable value, such as '', meaning all interfaces.
+        """
+        if self.ip in {'', '0.0.0.0'}:
+            return self.url.replace('localhost', self.ip or '*', 1)
+        return self.url
+    
     @gen.coroutine
     def wait_up(self, timeout=10, http=False):
         """Wait for this server to come up"""
diff --git a/jupyterhub/tests/test_orm.py b/jupyterhub/tests/test_orm.py
index 3f46ee2b..9aa6dc22 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/tests/test_orm.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/tests/test_orm.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ def test_server(db):
     assert isinstance(server.cookie_name, str)
     assert server.host == 'http://localhost:%i' % server.port
     assert server.url == server.host + '/'
+    assert server.bind_url == 'http://*:%i/' % server.port
     server.ip = '127.0.0.1'
     assert server.host == 'http://127.0.0.1:%i' % server.port
     assert server.url == server.host + '/'